National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Adverse Events (1)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- (-) Care Coordination (25)
- Caregiving (4)
- Care Management (3)
- Children/Adolescents (4)
- Chronic Conditions (5)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (2)
- Communication (6)
- Elderly (5)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (11)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Healthcare Delivery (5)
- Healthcare Utilization (1)
- Health Information Exchange (HIE) (3)
- (-) Health Information Technology (HIT) (25)
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- Hospital Discharge (3)
- Hospitals (4)
- Implementation (1)
- Medical Errors (1)
- Medication (1)
- Outcomes (2)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (3)
- Patient and Family Engagement (2)
- Patient Experience (1)
- Patient Safety (3)
- Patient Self-Management (1)
- Policy (1)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Primary Care (2)
- Provider (2)
- Provider: Nurse (2)
- Quality Improvement (1)
- Quality of Care (2)
- Registries (1)
- Teams (2)
- Telehealth (2)
- Tools & Toolkits (1)
- Transitions of Care (3)
- Trauma (1)
- Vulnerable Populations (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 25 Research Studies DisplayedGeary CR, Hook M, Popejoy L
Ambulatory care coordination data gathering and use.
The purpose of this study was to identify information gathered and used to support care coordination in ambulatory settings. Survey respondents, most of whom were nurses, provided demographic information and their practice patterns, including use of electronic health records. Most described at least a partial use of electronic health records, but two respondents described paper documentation systems. The authors concluded that the responses demonstrated significant heterogeneity in ambulatory care coordination data usage, but noted that additional research is needed to identify common data elements to support knowledge development in the context of a learning health system.
AHRQ-funded; HS028000.
Citation: Geary CR, Hook M, Popejoy L .
Ambulatory care coordination data gathering and use.
Comput Inform Nurs 2024 Jan; 42(1):63-70. doi: 10.1097/cin.0000000000001069.
Keywords: Care Coordination, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Kornfield R, Lattie EG, Nicholas J
"Our job is to be so temporary": designing digital tools that meet the needs of care managers and their patients with mental health concerns.
The purpose of this study was to improve understanding of how to integrate digital tools in routine healthcare, especially for patients with both physical and mental health needs. The researchers conducted interviews and design workshops with 1. a group of care managers who support patients with complex health needs, and 2. their patients whose health needs include mental health concerns. The researchers examined both groups' views of potential applications of digital tools within care management. The study found that care managers felt underprepared to addressing mental health issues on an ongoing basis and had concerns about the burden and confusion of providing support through new digital channels. Patients envisioned benefiting from ongoing mental health support from care managers, including support in using digital tools. The needs of patients and care managers may be so different that meeting both through the same tools represents a substantial challenge, and could require altering these professionals' roles in mental health support.
AHRQ-funded; HS028003.
Citation: Kornfield R, Lattie EG, Nicholas J .
"Our job is to be so temporary": designing digital tools that meet the needs of care managers and their patients with mental health concerns.
Proc ACM Hum Comput Interact 2023 Oct; 7(CSCW2):302. doi: 10.1145/3610093..
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Health Information Technology (HIT), Care Coordination
Norton JM, Ip A, Ruggiano N
AHRQ Author: Camara DS, Hsiao CJ, Bierman AS
Assessing progress toward the vision of a comprehensive, shared electronic care plan: scoping review.
People with multiple chronic conditions often receive care from a broad array of clinicians across multiple health care settings, making it difficult to share care plans between those facilities and providers. One method for possibly improving care for those individuals is through the development and use of comprehensive, shared, electronic care (e-care) plans. The purpose of the study was to review existing e-care plans and related initiatives that could be utilized to develop a comprehensive, shared e-care plan, and facilitate the National Institutes of Health and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality joint initiative’s creation of e-care planning tools for people with multiple chronic conditions. The researchers conducted a review of literature from 2015-2020, as well as interviews of expert informants to identify information missing from the literature search. The study identified 7 different interventions for e-care plans and 3 different projects for health care data standards, all of which included elements which could be utilized to further the goals of developing a comprehensive, shared e-care plan. The study concluded that while none of the existing interventions met all the optimal e-care plan criteria for people with multiple chronic conditions, each plan included the infrastructure necessary to progress toward that goal. The researchers reported that gaps must first be addressed, but that a comprehensive, shared e-care plan can improve care coordination across multiple care settings and clinicians.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Norton JM, Ip A, Ruggiano N .
Assessing progress toward the vision of a comprehensive, shared electronic care plan: scoping review.
J Med Internet Res 2022 Jun 10;24(6):e36569. doi: 10.2196/36569..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Care Coordination, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Health Information Exchange (HIE)
Ozkaynak M, Valdez R, Hannah K
Understanding gaps between daily living and clinical settings in chronic disease management: qualitative study.
This study’s objective was to characterize gaps from the patient’s perspective between health-related activities across home-based and clinical settings in the management of chronic conditions. Patients were recruited from an anticoagulation clinic of an urban, western mountain system and primary interviews were conducted with 39 patients and 4 providers. The causes of gaps included clinician recommendations not fitting into patients’ daily routines; recommendations not fitting into a patients’ living contexts; and no information transfer across settings. Consequences of these gaps included increased cognitive and physical workload on the patient, poor patient satisfaction, and compromised adherence to the therapy plan.
AHRQ-funded; HS024092.
Citation: Ozkaynak M, Valdez R, Hannah K .
Understanding gaps between daily living and clinical settings in chronic disease management: qualitative study.
J Med Internet Res 2021 Feb 25;23(2):e17590. doi: 10.2196/17590..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Care Management, Care Coordination, Patient Self-Management, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Wang G, Wignall J, Kinard D
An implementation model for managing cloud-based longitudinal care plans for children with medical complexity.
In this study, the investigators aimed to iteratively refine an implementation model for managing cloud-based longitudinal care plans (LCPs) for children with medical complexity (CMC). They conducted iterative 1-on-1 design sessions with CMC caregivers (ie, parents/legal guardians) and providers between August 2017 and March 2019. The investigators concluded that utilizing the management strategies, described in the article, when implementing cloud-based LCPs had the potential to improve team-based care across settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS024299.
Citation: Wang G, Wignall J, Kinard D .
An implementation model for managing cloud-based longitudinal care plans for children with medical complexity.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Jan 15;28(1):23-32. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa207..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Implementation, Chronic Conditions, Care Management, Care Coordination, Health Information Exchange (HIE), Health Information Technology (HIT), Teams
Desai AD, Wang G, Wignall J
User-centered design of a longitudinal care plan for children with medical complexity.
This study’s goal was to determine content priorities and design preferences for a longitudinal care plan (LCP) among caregivers and healthcare providers who care for children with complex medical conditions (CMC) in acute care settings. Thirty iterative one-on-one design sessions with 10 caregivers and 20 providers were conducted. There was high within-group variability in content preferences among caregivers compared to provider groups. The authors identified 6 design preferences: a familiar yet customizable layout, a problem-based organization schema, linked content between sections, a table layout for most sections, a balance between unstructured and structured data fields, and use of family-centered terminology.
AHRQ-funded; HS024299.
Citation: Desai AD, Wang G, Wignall J .
User-centered design of a longitudinal care plan for children with medical complexity.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2020 Dec 9;27(12):1860-70. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa193..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Chronic Conditions, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Care Coordination, Caregiving
Wyatt DL
AHRQ Author: Wyatt DL
Employing technology to make care transitions safer.
This commentary discusses the potential for errors in patient handoffs; important information about medications and instructions regarding patient care may be overlooked when the patient is referred to special care, moved to a new hospital setting, or discharged. The problem is especially acute for patients with multiple chronic conditions who often undergo frequent transitions to new care settings and healthcare providers. The author describes AHRQ’s funding opportunities for health information technology interventions that aim to improve communication and coordination during care transitions, such as location-based smartphone alerts, a patient-centered discharge toolkit, and a ‘smart pillbox’ electronic medication adherence reporting project.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Wyatt DL .
Employing technology to make care transitions safer.
J Nurs Care Qual 2019 Jul/Sep;34(3):185-88. doi: 10.1097/ncq.0000000000000417..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Care Coordination, Chronic Conditions, Communication, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Hospital Discharge, Medical Errors, Medication, Patient Safety, Transitions of Care
Durojaiye AB, McGeorge N, Kristen W
Characterizing the utilization of the problem list for pediatric trauma care.
The EHR problem list has the potential to support care coordination among the multidisciplinary care team that cares for pediatric trauma patients. To realize this potential, the need exists to ensure appropriate utilization by formulating acceptable usage and management policy. In this regard, understanding the prevailing utilization pattern is pivotal. To this end, in this study, the investigators analyzed EHR in tandem with trauma registry data at a Level I pediatric trauma center.
AHRQ-funded; HS023837.
Citation: Durojaiye AB, McGeorge N, Kristen W .
Characterizing the utilization of the problem list for pediatric trauma care.
AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2018 Dec 5;2018:404-12..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Children/Adolescents, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Emergency Department, Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals, Registries, Trauma
Quintana Y, Fahy D, Crotty B
InfoSAGE: Supporting elders and families through online family networks.
With an increasingly elderly population, families are finding it increasingly challenging to coordinate care for their older family members. This paper reports on the findings of InfoSAGE, an online private social network that has tools for communication and care coordination for elders and their families.
AHRQ-funded; HS021495; HS024869.
Citation: Quintana Y, Fahy D, Crotty B .
InfoSAGE: Supporting elders and families through online family networks.
AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2018 Dec 5;2018:932-41..
Keywords: Elderly, Caregiving, Health Information Technology (HIT), Communication, Clinician-Patient Communication, Care Coordination
Senft N, Everson J
eHealth engagement as a response to negative healthcare experiences: cross-sectional survey analysis.
The goal of this study was to determine how the negative healthcare experiences of low patient centeredness and care coordination problems motivate the use of different eHealth activities, and whether more highly educated individuals are more likely than those less highly educated to use eHealth following negative experiences. Researchers used factor analysis to group 25 different eHealth activities into categories, based on the correlation between respondents' reports of their usage. Their findings indicate that individuals use a greater number of eHealth activities, especially activities independent of healthcare providers, when they experience problems with their healthcare; people with lower levels of education who have had negative healthcare experiences seem more inclined to use eHealth. The researchers recommend that, in order to maximize the potential for eHealth to meet the needs of all patients, especially those who are underserved, additional work is needed to ensure that eHealth resources are accessible to all members of the population.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Senft N, Everson J .
eHealth engagement as a response to negative healthcare experiences: cross-sectional survey analysis.
J Med Internet Res 2018 Dec 5;20(12):e11034. doi: 10.2196/11034..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient Experience, Telehealth
Kranz AM, Dalton S, Damberg C
Using health IT to coordinate care and improve quality in safety-net clinics.
Health centers provide care to vulnerable and high-need populations. Recent investments have promoted use of health information technology (HIT) capabilities for improving care coordination and quality of care in health centers. This study examined factors associated with use of these HIT capabilities and the association between these capabilities and quality of care in a census of health centers in the United States.
AHRQ-funded; HS024067.
Citation: Kranz AM, Dalton S, Damberg C .
Using health IT to coordinate care and improve quality in safety-net clinics.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2018 Dec;44(12):731-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2018.03.006..
Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Care Coordination, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Vulnerable Populations, Care Management
Auger KA, Shah SS, Tubbs-Cooley HL
Effects of a 1-time nurse-led telephone call after pediatric discharge: the H2O II randomized clinical trial.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a single nurse-led telephone call after pediatric discharge decreased the 30-day reutilization rate for urgent care services and enhanced overall transition success. The investigators concluded that although postdischarge nurse contact did not decrease the reutilization rate of postdischarge urgent health care services, the method showed promise to bolster postdischarge education.
AHRQ-funded; HS024735.
Citation: Auger KA, Shah SS, Tubbs-Cooley HL .
Effects of a 1-time nurse-led telephone call after pediatric discharge: the H2O II randomized clinical trial.
JAMA Pediatr 2018 Sep;172(9):e181482. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.1482..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Children/Adolescents, Health Information Technology (HIT), Health Services Research (HSR), Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Utilization, Hospital Discharge, Outcomes, Provider, Provider: Nurse, Telehealth, Transitions of Care
Walker DM
Does participation in health information exchange improve hospital efficiency?.
This study strives to answer the question: does health information exchange (HIE) network participation improve hospital efficiency? The results of the study suggest that hospital investment in HIE participation may be a useful strategy to improve hospital operational performance, and that policy should continue to support increased participation and use of HIE.
AHRQ-funded; HS023343.
Citation: Walker DM .
Does participation in health information exchange improve hospital efficiency?.
Health Care Manag Sci 2018 Sep;21(3):426-38. doi: 10.1007/s10729-017-9396-4..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Quality of Care, Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals, Health Information Exchange (HIE)
Yao Y, Ahn H, Stifter J
Continuity index measures in the acute care hospital setting: an analytic review and tests using electronic health record data and computer simulation.
This study examined continuity index measures in the acute care hospital setting. These measures can be used to examine the influence of nurse staffing patterns on patient outcomes. The researchers examined the behavior of continuity indexes as applied to clinical practice data that were collected with the Hands-On Automated Nursing Data System (HANDS) and data from computer simulation. The findings provided a deep understanding of the conceptual foundations and properties of various continuity measures.
AHRQ-funded; HS015054; HS023072.
Citation: Yao Y, Ahn H, Stifter J .
Continuity index measures in the acute care hospital setting: an analytic review and tests using electronic health record data and computer simulation.
J Nurs Meas 2018 Apr 1;26(1):20-35. doi: 10.1891/1061-3749.26.1.20..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Care Coordination, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Provider: Nurse, Provider, Hospitals, Outcomes
Turner AM, Osterhage K, Loughran J
Emergency information management needs and practices of older adults: a descriptive study.
The purpose of this study was to better understand how older adults manage emergency information, the barriers and facilitators to planning and management of emergency information, as well as the potential role of information technology to facilitate emergency planning and management. The investigators found that emergency information, such as emergency contact information, diagnoses, and advance directives, is a type of health information that older adults manage.
AHRQ-funded; HS022106.
Citation: Turner AM, Osterhage K, Loughran J .
Emergency information management needs and practices of older adults: a descriptive study.
Int J Med Inform 2018 Mar;111:149-58. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2017.12.001..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Elderly, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Walker J, Crotty BH, O'Brien J
Addressing the challenges of aging: how elders and their care partners seek information.
Elders in retirement communities face many challenges concerning information and communication. The purpose of this study was to gain insights into how these elders and their families manage health information and communication. The study suggests that elders in senior living communities, and their families, piece together information primarily from word of mouth communication. It asserts that electronic social and collaborative technologies may make information gathering easier.
AHRQ-funded; HS021495.
Citation: Walker J, Crotty BH, O'Brien J .
Addressing the challenges of aging: how elders and their care partners seek information.
Gerontologist 2017 Oct 1;57(5):955-62. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnw060..
Keywords: Elderly, Caregiving, Communication, Care Coordination, Patient and Family Engagement, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Duckworth M, Leung E, Fuller T
Nurse, patient, and care partner perceptions of a personalized safety plan screensaver.
A patient safety plan dashboard was developed that captures disparate data from the electronic health record that is then displayed as a personalized bedside screensaver. End user perceptions of the content and interface of the personalized safety plan screensavers were identified and strategies to overcome the barriers to use for future iterations were defined. Differences emerged stemming from each group of end users' role on the care team.
AHRQ-funded; HS023535.
Citation: Duckworth M, Leung E, Fuller T .
Nurse, patient, and care partner perceptions of a personalized safety plan screensaver.
J Gerontol Nurs 2017 Apr;43(4):15-22. doi: 10.3928/00989134-20170313-05.
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Keywords: Elderly, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Caregiving, Patient Safety, Patient and Family Engagement, Care Coordination
Quintana Y, Crotty B, Fahy D
InfoSAGE: use of online technologies for communication and elder care.
To identify how information and communication needs evolved with the aging process, the study authors created a living laboratory of families, supported by an online private social network with tools for care coordination.
AHRQ-funded; HS021495.
Citation: Quintana Y, Crotty B, Fahy D .
InfoSAGE: use of online technologies for communication and elder care.
Stud Health Technol Inform 2017;234:280-85..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Healthcare Delivery, Communication, Elderly, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Abraham J, Kannampallil TG, Patel VL
Impact of structured rounding tools on time allocation during multidisciplinary rounds: an observational study.
The aim of this study was to investigate whether disproportionate time allocation effects during multidisciplinary rounds (MDRs) persist with the use of structured rounding tools. It concluded that the use of structured rounding tools potentially mitigates disproportionate time allocation and communication breakdowns during rounds with the more structured system-based Handoff Intervention Tool (HAND-IT), almost completely eliminating such effects.
AHRQ-funded; HS017586.
Citation: Abraham J, Kannampallil TG, Patel VL .
Impact of structured rounding tools on time allocation during multidisciplinary rounds: an observational study.
JMIR Hum Factors 2016 Dec 09;3(2):e29. doi: 10.2196/humanfactors.6642.
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Keywords: Tools & Toolkits, Clinician-Patient Communication, Teams, Health Information Technology (HIT), Care Coordination
Cohen GR, Adler-Milstein J
Meaningful use care coordination criteria: perceived barriers and benefits among primary care providers.
This systematic review of studies of laser treatment of infantile hemangioma concluded that the studies primarily addressed different laser modalities compared with observation or other laser modalities. Pulsed dye laser was the most commonly studied laser type, but multiple variations in treatment protocols did not allow for demonstration of superiority of a single method.
AHRQ-funded; HS022674.
Citation: Cohen GR, Adler-Milstein J .
Meaningful use care coordination criteria: perceived barriers and benefits among primary care providers.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2016 Apr;23(e1):e146-51. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocv147.
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Keywords: Primary Care, Care Coordination, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Brennan PF, Valdez R, Alexander G
Patient-centered care, collaboration, communication, and coordination: a report from AMIA's 2013 Policy Meeting.
AMIA’s 2013 Health Policy Invitational was focused on examining existing challenges surrounding full engagement of the patient and crafting a research agenda and policy framework encouraging the use of informatics solutions to achieve this goal. This paper summarizes the meeting as well as the research agenda and policy recommendations prioritized among the invited experts and stakeholders.
AHRQ-funded; HS021825.
Citation: Brennan PF, Valdez R, Alexander G .
Patient-centered care, collaboration, communication, and coordination: a report from AMIA's 2013 Policy Meeting.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2015 Apr;22(e1):e2-6. doi: 10.1136/amiajnl-2014-003176..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Communication, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient-Centered Healthcare, Policy
Hsiao CJ, King J, Hing E
AHRQ Author: Hsiao CJ
The role of health information technology in care coordination in the United States.
This study used 2012 national data to explore the extent to which office-based physicians in the United States receive patient health information (electronically or non-electronically) needed to coordinate care with providers outside their practice, as well as with hospitals. It found that a higher percentage of physicians using health information technology (HIT) received patient information necessary for care coordination than those who did not use HIT.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Hsiao CJ, King J, Hing E .
The role of health information technology in care coordination in the United States.
Med Care. 2015 Feb;53(2):184-90. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000276..
Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Care Coordination, Primary Care, Hospitals
Liao JM, Roy CL, Eibensteiner K
Lost in transition: discrepancies in how physicians perceive the actionability of the results of tests pending at discharge.
Effective communication of pending hospital test results between inpatient and primary care physicians is sometimes challenging or nonexistent. This communication is essential for safe, quality transactions at discharge. Health information technology (such as email and fax) is an effective strategy for improving and reporting test-result management.
AHRQ-funded; HS018229
Citation: Liao JM, Roy CL, Eibensteiner K .
Lost in transition: discrepancies in how physicians perceive the actionability of the results of tests pending at discharge.
J Hospital Med. 2014 Jun;9(6):407-9. doi: 10.1002/jhm.2177..
Keywords: Communication, Care Coordination, Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospital Discharge, Patient Safety
Sockolow PS, Bowles KH, Rogers M
Opportunities in interdisciplinary care team adoption of electronic point-of-care documentation systems.
The authors conducted three evaluation studies in community and hospital settings to examine point-of-care documentation system adoption among interdisciplinary care team clinicians. At all sites, mismatch between system functionality and workflow was a barrier to clinician system access during patient care and reduced clinician efficiency; however, clinicians were satisfied with their ability to access other clinicians’ notes, without increased interdisciplinary team communication.
AHRQ-funded; HS021008.
Citation: Sockolow PS, Bowles KH, Rogers M .
Opportunities in interdisciplinary care team adoption of electronic point-of-care documentation systems.
Stud Health Technol Inform 2014;201:371-9..
Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Care Coordination
Sockolow PS, Bowles KH, Rogers M
Interdisciplinary care team adoption of electronic point-of-care documentation systems: an unrealized opportunity.
To address the knowledge gap about barriers and facilitators to interdisciplinary care team adoption of computer-based point-of-care documentation systems, the researchers conducted three evaluations at each of two community health sites. They found that at each site there was a need for continuous feedback from front line users and on-going training to improve knowledge. Clinicians did not perceive any impact of the point-of-care documentation systems on patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS021008.
Citation: Sockolow PS, Bowles KH, Rogers M .
Interdisciplinary care team adoption of electronic point-of-care documentation systems: an unrealized opportunity.
Stud Health Technol Inform 2013;192:939..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Care Coordination, Practice Patterns